Different School Together
by horrorphile
Summary: Carol finds a new home and meets Morgan Jones. They become allies and struggle to survive. Caryl is a definite possibility but not immediately.
1. Chapter 1

**I love Carol and I love Morgan. I am not as fond of Daryl right now but still love Caryl. So I am writing a few chapters exploring a Carol and Morgan friendship. Both characters are complex and layered. Both have done things that others can't understand. Morgan is cured of his desire to "clear" and he and Carol are going to forge a friendship that nurtures them both.**

Different Schools Together

Carol had spent her first night of banishment in a state of shock. In her heart she was expecting Daryl to find her and somehow make this right. She had found a steel building to stay in that first night and she fell asleep for a few hours that first night and woke up to face her new reality. She was alone and this time Daryl wasn't going to rescue her. She had to face that Daryl would never go against anything Rick decreed; she needed to concentrate on staying alive in her own. Rick had promised to take care of Lizzie and Mika and that wasn't too comforting considering that Judith was being raised by committee. She could only pray that Lizzie had a light case of the flu and that Mika would not get it all.

The next morning Carol got up and drove until she found an almost new extended cabin truck that started when she "jumped" it. She moved her things into the new truck and filled the gas tank. She had found a map in the shitty car and she sat down with it to plan the rest of her life. Carol decided to go west and north away from Atlanta. She had family in the North Carolina mountains but she wasn't going that far.

The day was going to be hot and she drove and scavenged during the day. Carol had always been out with a group, somebody always had her back and now it was just her. She stayed that night in a garage. She got some sleep but not much. She wondered how long she could survive with so little sleep; one mistake and she was gone.

Carol knew she was looking for a safe place in a world that was fundamentally unsafe. She had since evidence of other groups but avoided them. She didn't want to join another group; she had given her heart and soul to a group and she had gone too far to keep them safe. She wanted to be alone.

She finally found a farmhouse outside a little town in the North Carolina foothills. There was an old couple in the farmhouse who had committed suicide sometime after their world fell apart. She dragged their bodies outside and dug one grave. She buried them together and said a few words over their single grave. The farmhouse had never been looted probably because it was in an isolated area. Carol slept in a steel outbuilding. There was a well pump in the yard and she had access to clean water. She cleaned the house and opened the windows to let the fresh air blow the smells away.

The old couple had canned food in the basement and a shotgun and a rifle. There was ammo for the two weapons. They could have lasted she thought until she saw the medications in their bathroom. The old man had been taking chemo and the old woman was a diabetic. They had made their choice and she respected what they had done. There were no photos of children and she wondered if they had any children of their own. There was a wedding picture of a young happy couple and beside it a photo of an old happy couple. That seemed to be their story.

Carol had books, food, water, and she decided to stay here. She had worked to make the road up to the hilltop look as unappealing as possible. She rarely left the hill but had scavenged the local stores occasionally and laughed at herself for getting all the medical supplies that she could find. She was getting enough medical supplies to take care of a large group. She couldn't use that much stuff in fifty years.

Gradually she began to spend more time inside the house and less in the steel building. Carol hooked up the generator and ran the washer and washed the sheets and blankets in the house. She hung everything in the barn so that it wouldn't be noticed. The generator made a lot of noise and she had done everything she could to keep it quieter. She scavenged new clothes in town and in a matter of weeks she was almost adjusted to her new life. Carol had created a container garden and planted vegetables. There was an orchard behind the farmhouse and she planned to harvest the fruit. She was so busy during the day that she had little time to think but the nights were long and lonely.

Carol decided to check out another town close by and she checked her weapons before she went. She kept her weapons clean and ready to use and she didn't want to get overconfident. She drove the highway that connected the two towns cautiously. This was a larger town than the one she closest to her and she decided to check out the strip mall off the highway.

There were two access roads back to the highway and less chance of being blocked in. Carol parked her truck and looked the situation over. Her instincts were screaming to abort this mission. She could see a truck with a door open and a man lying on the pavement. She didn't see anyone close; it looked as if the man had driven in and opened the door and fallen out. It might be a trap, but the likelihood that anyone would show up was high. The man was probably dead but there might be something she could use in his truck. She drove slowly toward the man and saw that there wasn't anyone else in his truck.

The first thing Carol noticed was that the man wasn't dead or hadn't turned anyway. He was a Black man close to her age and there was blood on his leg. He hadn't attracted walkers yet so he couldn't have been here long. She got out of her truck and moved closer to the man with her pistol cocked and ready to shoot. He wasn't dead and she looked over his wound. She had seen enough bites and gunshot wounds to tell the difference; he had been shot in the leg and had passed out. Carol stood up and looked over his truck. There were weapons, food, and water. She quickly moved the weapons and food to her truck. She took one more look at the man; the smart thing would be to leave him here as walker chow and go home. Instead she dragged him to the bed of her truck and he woke up enough to help her get him in the truck. She shut the gate of the truck and noticed that there were walkers coming their way. Carol locked the truck doors and grabbed the keys. She took off in a hurry and went back to the farm watching the side roads and behind her to see if there was anyone following her.

Carol put the man in the steel building. She had moved a bed out there when she slept out there and she put him down on the bed. She chained him to the building foundation and cut his clothes off. She checked his body for bites but she couldn't find anything but the wound in his leg. He had been shot in the leg and she was glad to see an exit wound. The wound was not yet infected and she cleaned it and bandaged it. She gave him a shot of an antibiotic to keep down infection all the time second guessing this act of altruism. This man would probably turn on her like a rabid dog.

He had passed out while she was digging around his leg but she could see that he was coming around. She dug out some pain killers and gave him a couple with some water. "Thank you, that water tastes good, "he murmured. Carol figured that her rabid dog was at least polite. She checked his vitals and he seemed to be in good shape. She found some clean clothes that had belonged to the old man and helped him into a pair of briefs way too big for him. The man went back to sleep and she stood watching him sleep and wondering if she could load him up and take him back to his truck and leave him there. Instead, she checked his bonds and made certain that he would stay put.

Carol went back to the main house and heated up some soup on the propane stove. She fixed him a bowl and brought it back. He looked like he might be slightly dehydrated and he would have to get as much fluid in as possible. He was drifting off to sleep but she made him eat and drink before he did.

He wasn't a big man but he looked strong enough. He was clean shaven and had worn cargo pants, boots, and a beige safari type shirt. He might be military, she thought. Carol kept watch over him and the surrounding area. She was uneasy. Having someone else here felt all wrong to her; she was better off alone.

He needed to use a bed pan and she improvised with a pan from the house. He ate and drank some more and went back to sleep. She couldn't complain about him being too talky. She decided to sleep that night in the steel building in case he woke up and needed something. He got down another pain pill and went back to sleep. Carol figured that she wouldn't go to sleep but found that she kept drifting off. Finally, she just gave and went to sleep.

Carol woke up the next morning and was at first disconcerted to find herself being observed by the man. He was awake and alert and watching her sleep. He had made no attempt to free himself from his bonds and said, "Good morning" to her as if they were old friends. He needed the bed pan and she guessed that sort of intimacy made you closer than mere acquaintances.

"How are you feeling this morning?" she asked. Carol was hoping that he would get well quickly so that she could take him back to his truck and to his life. She would blindfold him and drop him off at his truck with his keys. This would be over and she could go back to her quiet life on the hill.

"My leg hurts but my head is much clearer than it was yesterday." He had a nice voice she thought. It was low pitched and sounded educated. He didn't sound threatening but Carol was determined not to trust him. "I would like to sit up".

Carol helped him up but she realized that he was much stronger than her and that he could have overpowered her before if he wanted. She needed to be more careful she thought.

The man seemed larger and more threatening sitting up than he had lying down. He looked at his bonds and said, "I understand why I am tied up, and you are smart not to trust me. I trust you, you could have left me there but you didn't. I wouldn't have lasted very long out there. So, unless you want me to call you my guardian angel you better tell me your name". He smiled and he didn't seem so threatening.

Carol frowned at him. She didn't want to tell him her name. He would tell her his and then there would be a connection. She didn't want any connections. Still, she couldn't bear to be called a guardian angel, not after what she had done. "It's Carol".

He smiled again and held out his hand, "My name is Morgan Jones and I want to thank you. You saved my life, Carol. "

Carol ignored his hand. "I am going to go make some breakfast. I'll bring you something to eat in a little while". Carol went over to the kitchen. He was better but she didn't think he would be well enough to fend for himself for a few more days.

She made some oatmeal and added some berries that she had picked along a fence yesterday morning. She picked up a couple of books for him. Carol brought the food to Morgan and another glass of water. He was still sitting up and she examined his wound. It looked like it was healing well and he didn't have a fever. He ate everything on the plate. He would be out of her soon. That thought made her so cheery that she smiled at him. "You are a good patient".

Morgan smiled back, "You are a good nurse". He liked her smile; it lit up her somber face. "You are a good cook, too".

Carol dismissed his flattery; she wanted some answers. "How did you get yourself shot?"

Morgan sighed, "I was on my own a long time and I finally left where I was holed up and I met some good people who let me join their group. We have been traveling around looking for a place to settle down. I was out scouting for a new place; my group is east of here about 40 miles or so. I was looking for some gas and stopped at a parked car along the highway. Somebody shot me and I got myself back in the truck and saw a truck behind me. I took off heading west and they didn't chase me. I think they just wanted me out of there. I was bleeding and in pain. I pulled into that lot and got out. The pain was so bad that I passed out."

Carol asked, "Will your group come looking for you?"

Morgan said, "They wouldn't know where to look. They don't even know which highway I took. They are good people but they won't waste too much time looking for me. The plan is to find a place and try to get supplies in before next winter."

Carol asked, "Why did you leave where you were holed up? Maybe you can go back there if you can't find them."

Morgan shook his head, "T stayed there too long and there are too many bad memories there. I won't go back there. Are you from here?"

Carol got up abruptly and left the building. Morgan thought about her for a while. She was alone here and was afraid of him. She wanted him gone as soon as possible and he couldn't blame her. A woman in this world needed to be careful and lucky. His group would take her in and he would ask her if she wanted to join them. He looked at the books and picked the one about local history. The subject matter interested him but then he had taught history at a small college before the world went to shit.

Carol stayed away until lunch time. She always had plenty to do and she couldn't neglect her chores just because she had a man chained up in her outbuilding. She made spaghetti with marinara sauce for lunch and made some sweet tea. Morgan was engrossed in the book when she went in and he looked up with a slightly distracted look.

He talked about what he had been reading and they talked about the book as he ate. They kept the conversation light and she checked his leg again. She knew that he needed to move around more but she was still reluctant to take off his bonds.

She kept busy until dinner time. Dinner was still spaghetti but she grilled some vegetables to go with it. Carol realized that she wanted to go talk to Morgan; she was lonesome for someone to talk to. She had been too busy at the prison to just hang out and talk to anyone even Daryl who was equally busy.

Dinner was fun. Morgan didn't want any pain pills and began calling her Annie Wilkes because she was keeping him a prisoner. Carol had read "Misery" years ago and had to laugh with him. "I'll let you go after you finish the book, but only if I like it, "she threatened.

Morgan teased, "I'll write it anyway you want, just let me go".

Carol said, "I am afraid".

Morgan answered, "Carol, I promise never to hurt you".

Carol looked at him. He was chained up like an animal and that wasn't right. He needed to get back to his group before they moved on. What if something happened to her? He would die out here of dehydration. She might be making a mistake but she left outside the door and unchained him.


	2. Crazy is the New Normal

**I have always loved Morgan Jones and always thought that he would be perfect for Carol. He was kind, gentle, and loving. Then the writers made him crazy, but he was cured 'cause the Muse said so. Carol deserves a chance for happiness with Morgan but I haven't totally given up on Daryl either. **

Crazy is the New Normal

Morgan was glad to be out of chains and Carol helped him into the house and made a bed for him in the living room. He was exhausted by the time he got there and only wanted to lie down. He liked the living room. Someone had boarded up the windows neatly and there were plenty of books. The couch was comfortable and there was an oil lamp on the table beside the couch. The place was clean and neat. It felt reasonable safe.

Carol had gone into the kitchen and brought back some sweet tea. She showed him where the first floor bathroom was and sat down in the comfortable chair across from the couch. They smiled at each other like old friends and Morgan thought that she was remarkably beautiful especially when she smiled.

"You aren't from here, are you?" he asked.

"No, I lived in Georgia most of my life. I was married and had a little girl." Carol thought that was enough information to give out. "Where are you from?"

"I grew up on army bases and didn't have a real home until I got married. My wife's name was Jenny and Duane was our son's name. I was teaching history at a small college in Georgia when everything changed. We tried to make it to Atlanta but my wife got bit. Duane and I stayed in that town until he got bit. Then it was just me and I need to tell you that I had some sort of breakdown. I just stayed in that town and cleared out walkers day after day. Month after month. I got a little better when an old friend came by but I wouldn't leave. Then one day, I just got up and gathered up my supplies. I left that town and was lucky enough to find some kind people who took me in and I got better. I knew I was better when I realized how crazy I had been."

Carol thought that Morgan liked to talk; that was probably a good thing if you taught history. She didn't fault him for having a breakdown. "Crazy is the new normal, didn't you get the memo?"

Morgan winced a little but had to agree, "It's the degree that of insanity that matters. I came back from Crazy Town and now live in Not Quite as Crazy Town. And you have that look again".

Carol said, "You need to rest".

Morgan protested, "I really don't. I like talking to you. I think we went to different schools together". Carol looked puzzled, "My mother used to say that. Different schools together means that you met someone who is like an old friend because you have similar experiences".

Carol looked at Morgan. She did feel a bond between them. They had both lost a spouse and a child. They were both alone and had done things that others couldn't understand. "I hated my husband; he made my life a living hell. I happily chopped up his head after he was killed by walkers."

"I loved Jenny and couldn't put her down. I tried time after time but just couldn't do it. She was wandering around on the street and I just couldn't do it. Duane and I were out scavenging one day and she bit him. I put them both down then and went to Crazy Town." Morgan was glad that he had been able to tell the story without falling apart.

"We were hiding under cars until the herd passed by. Sophia was under a different car away from me. She got scared and ran into the woods. We didn't find her until weeks late and she was a walker. Someone in our group put her down in front of me. I was too weak to protect her then. I don't like anyone to get too close to me since then." Carol got up then and told Morgan good night. She went to sleep in the bedroom. The windows were all boarded up on the bottom floor. Carol thought that the couple probably worked together to board up the windows. Sometime after that they had decided to go out together.

Carol wondered why she had told Morgan that she didn't like anyone to get too close. She loved Lizzie and Mika but had been reluctant to take on a guardianship role with them. She loved Daryl but had never expected that he would want to be intimate with her. She had appreciated his friendship though and she missed him. She wondered where he was and if he was looking out for Lizzie and Mika for her. She wished they were here and thought about Daryl being here in this bed with her. She was surprised by the way her body reacted to that thought and laughed to herself. Poor Daryl would probably run from the bed if she touched him.

She dreamed of Daryl that night. He was standing at a window in some building. There were people sleeping around him. Lizzie and Mika were sleeping close together. Daryl seemed so alone in the dream and she had reached out in her dream and hugged him close to her.

…..

Daryl was on watch in a temporary shelter. The remnants that he had gathered together were asleep and he was making sure that there wasn't anything out there that would hurt them. He could see Lizzie and Mika cuddled together like they always slept. Daryl watched over them very carefully. They were Carol's children and he couldn't bear to think that she would lose them too. He wondered where Carol was tonight. He had never found her but somehow believed that she was still alive. She was out there somewhere and someday he would find her. He was going to grab her and hold her close and never let her go when he found her. His body reminded what he had been so careful to suppress around Carol. He didn't even bother with suppressing it anymore. He wanted her and he had been too busy taking care of busyness at the prison to show her how he felt.

Daryl had accepted what Carol had done. He trusted her; she would have only done that if Karen and David were suffering and were dying. He knew her; she wasn't a cold blooded killer. That wasn't her. He couldn't forgive Rick. He had thrown Carol away like a worn out shoe. Daryl could still hear him say, "I told her that nobody would want her". Daryl felt that familiar rage flow through him when he remembered how he had shouted at Rick that day, "I want her". Some day he would say to Carol, "I love you and I want you".

This group was wandering around looking for a place and Daryl was gradually moving them toward higher ground. Carol had once told him that her father's family was from the North Carolina mountains. There were too many walkers here and Daryl was moving his group toward those mountains where there were more trees and less people. He was cautious and they were moving slowly but surely north and west bypassing cities and towns.

Daryl was worried that he was losing it. He was convinced that he was going to find Carol after all this time while he moved farther and farther from the place where she was last seen. He was set upon moving his group out of Georgia and into North Carolina. He was following a ghost and it felt right to him. He must be crazy because he had always thought that crazy people thought they were sane when they did crazy things.

Daryl decided to go with his instincts and they were telling him to get his people out of Georgia because the herds were clumping together. It would take an army to stop a herd and he only had few adults and several children. He would take them to higher ground to find a safer place. That was a rational decision. His belief that he would find Carol there was irrational but it made him start every day with a plan that brought him closer to her. She was out there somewhere and he was going to find her.


	3. Friend in Deed

**I don't want to deceive anyone. Carol and Morgan are going to become very close in this story. If it upsets you to read about Carol becoming involved with someone other than Daryl then you should not read this one. Both Carol and Daryl are going through a growth spurt but they are not going through it together. Carol needs to connect with some emotions that she has denied herself and Daryl needs to care more about her than nursing his emotional deficits. Daryl needs a friend too, and expect that Michonne will give him an occasional kick in the pants.**

**The Walking Dead has all rights to stories and characters from TWD. I own nothing and make nothing from these stories but the gratitude I feel when you leave a review. So please leave a review and let me know your reaction to the unfolding story. **

**Friend in Deed**

Carol jerked awake when she heard someone open a door in the house. She slid out of bed with her pistol and knife in hand to face the threat in the house. She listened at her door and heard the commode flush and remembered that Morgan was in the house. It was either him or the world's stupidest burglar. Her heart was still racing as she listened to the sound of Morgan hobbling back to the couch.

It was still early but the adrenaline was kicking in and she knew that she wasn't going to go back to sleep so she got dressed and eased her way outside. She kept the yard cut by an old push mower that belonged in a museum but did the job quietly. Everything looked calm and peaceful in the early morning light and she turned and went back inside making sure to lock the door.

Morgan was up and dressed this morning. He was wearing a pair of the old man's overalls and a blue denim shirt. Carol thought he looked Mose in one of Carol's favorite movies, "Places in the Heart". Her lips quirked up and she said, "Good morning, Mose".

Morgan looked at his clothes and laughed, "Good morning, Miz Spalding". They laughed together. "Better just stick with Morgan and Carol, I don't want to have to get the mule out and plant 40 acres in cotton before breakfast."

Carol laughed again and she realized how little she had laughed in the last few months. Morgan was easy to be around. He had a sense of humor without being sarcastic. Carol was beginning to realize how tightly wound she had been for so long. Being around Morgan seemed to be loosening her up to tease him like she used to do Daryl but he would never say "stop".

Morgan loved to see her smile and laugh. This woman should laugh more he thought and he pledged to make his stay here as pleasant for her as possible. He found himself too comfortable here; Carol had made it clear that he was a visitor and not a resident. He wanted to stay here with Carol and he was ready to admit that he wanted her. She was beautiful, funny, and had great taste in movies. He might wear overalls every day for the rest of his life if she would laugh like that when she saw him.

"How come you aren't wearing a flowered dress?" he admired her trim figure in her jeans and blue top. Carol caught his appreciative look and decided that she needed to wear some of the old woman's clothes; Morgan wouldn't be getting any ideas with that wardrobe.

Morgan hobbled around the farmyard planning snares and traps. Carol followed him trying to keep him from hurting himself. Morgan's ingenuity in planning ways to trap walkers was amazing. Carol asked, "Where did you learn how to do this? What history professor knows how to build these kinds of contraptions?"

"You know that I grew up on army bases because my dad was an army ranger, right?"

Carol nodded, "I am sure that your school curriculum didn't include building traps and killer snares?"

"ROTC paid for my undergraduate degree and I went into the army at twenty-two. I was trained to teach others how to do these kinds of things." Morgan's husky voice was sad and Carol saw that the memories of those times weren't good ones. "I left the army after a few years and went to graduate school. I believed with George Santayana that "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." I met Jenny in graduate school and we finished our degrees and got married, had a son. I didn't need those skills anymore; life bit me on the ass and I am right back in the middle of a war zone. How about you? How did you change from housewife to warrior?"

Carol shook her head, "My marriage was a war zone, and I was a prisoner of war. I was beaten, raped, terrorized, and humiliated in some way every day. My only consolation was my daughter. My husband was killed by a walker and I was glad. Then, my daughter was killed the same way. I had been weak and I became stronger."

Morgan answered, "You were already strong that is how you survived your marriage and this new war zone. Your husband sounds a lot like my father. My dad was a real piece of shit; he beat his wife and his children for the slightest infraction or if none existed he made one up. I would lie in bed at night and just pray that it was someone else's turned to get hurt." His voice was incredibly sad and Carol saw that he had some scars of his own.

Carol decided that Morgan needed to get out of the heat and off that leg. "I am ordering you to go back in the house before I have to treat you for heat stroke".

The house was cooler and Morgan went inside. Carol stayed outside for a while and worked in her garden. She went back in later to check on Morgan and found him asleep on the couch. He seemed so vulnerable asleep and she found herself wanting to protect him. She dismissed that thought immediately. Anyone who could devise those traps and snares didn't need protecting.

That evening they sat on the porch and talked until very late. Carol had missed having friends in her marriage and there weren't many people at the prison she was that close to now. Daryl was always too busy and he didn't talk much. Morgan liked to tell stories and was a good listener. Finally, Carol yawned and stood up, "I think it's time to go to bed". She froze in place thinking how that sounded.

Morgan stood up, "Best offer I have had in a while".

Carol was embarrassed but wanted to set the record straight, "I didn't mean it that way".

Morgan laughed, "But, I did". He moved closer to Carol and kissed her gently on the lips. "I will never do anything to you that you don't want me to. Go to bed, Carol and sleep well. I slept so much today that I will keep watch for a while".

Carol just turned and fled to her room. Morgan kissing her had surprised her. He could have overpowered her easily but he wasn't the kind of man to take what was not offered. She was not in the habit of offering herself. She touched her lips and thought how warm and soft his kiss had been.

Carol could hear Morgan moving around in the living room. He had a small lamp that he was trying to read by. She had the oddest notion to go into the room and let him make love to her. He was leaving soon and she would like to know what it felt like to enjoy sex. He had a strong healthy masculine body and he would be gentle. Carol found that sleep was a long time coming.

Morgan cursed himself for kissing Carol. He hadn't thought that out; it was an impulse and he didn't want to make Carol uncomfortable in her own place. She was beautiful and desirable and he was a lonely man. He wasn't in love with her but he did love her. He wanted her and he wanted to please her in bed. He gave up trying to read the book; and he dreamed that he and his wife were taking a long drive through a desert and talking about finding a place to spend the night. He kept driving and when he looked over his wife was gone and he still hadn't found a place to stop for the night.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Daryl was taking watch and talking with Michonne. They were good friends and they didn't take each other too seriously. "Daryl, did you ever read the Bible very much?"

Daryl snorted, "No, I don't think I have ever read anything in the Bible".

"Well, I think you and Moses have a lot in common. It took Moses forty years to navigate the Israelites form Egypt to the Promised Land. The route you are taking may take us forty years. Where in the hell are we going?" Michonne was truly curious. They were going very slowly but definitely in a northern direction. Daryl was the leader and the others were following. He wasn't rushing them and they were finding safe places to stay, but if there was a pattern she couldn't find it.

Daryl looked discomfited, "I am moving us northwest toward the mountains. I think we might be able to start over in North Carolina. There are mountains there and less people."

Michonne decided to go for the jugular, "Why aren't you looking for Carol? We are going farther and farther away from where she should be. Don't you want to find her? She didn't do anything I haven't done; I threw that old man out of his cabin to protect us. I saw Karen and David later that day; they were drowning in their own blood. We need Carol; I should have looked for her myself".

Daryl said, "Carol isn't in Georgia. She told me that she had family in North Carolina that she hadn't seen since she was little. I think she went in that direction. She's alive and I am moving toward her. "

Michonne regarded his skeptically. "You know that sounds crazy, don't you?"

Daryl squirmed a little, "We followed Rick and he wandered around the prison yard talking to ghost Lori. It's all relative. I may be crazy but I am not that crazy".

Michonne looked at her messy friend. His hair was long and greasy. He smelled like his hair looked and he obviously had no clue why he was following Carol. "What do you want from Carol?"

"I want to make sure that she is with us, part of our group, and nobody ever hurts her again," Daryl blurted out.

Michonne said, "Daryl, grow your ass up. Carol is a beautiful woman who thinks the sun shines out of your hairy ass. She had a shitty marriage to a man who abused her. She doesn't need you walking around saying "stop" all the damn time. Carol might find a man out there while you play Moses in the wilderness. A man willing to take the time to compliment her, talk to her, and want to please her in bed. You need to get your act together and think about putting what Carol needs ahead of contemplating your emotional deficits."

Daryl was pissed but he was listening, "I don't know how to stop saying "stop".

That pissed Michonne off, "Open your damn mouth and say something that is true about how you feel about her. Stop thinking about kissing Rick's ass and channel Merle for a while. What would Merle do if he found Carol out there on her own?"

They both stopped a moment and contemplated that scenario. Michonne thought that Merle would say something outrageous and make Carol mad but she would probably still run to him. There was a certain something about Merle that made women wonder what he would be like in bed. She dragged her thought away from that erotic fantasy and looked sternly at Merle's little brother.

Daryl knew what Merle would do. He would make some statement about her breasts, her ass, her legs, and her neck and then he would touch all of those places and she would let him because women always melted around Merle.

Daryl was lost in some erotic fantasy of his own and Michonne snapped her finger in front of Daryl. "You just keep on channeling Merle and you may find your lost testicles and you may find your Carol. Just try to find the testicles before you find Carol or it won't do you or her lot of good if you do find her."

Daryl was enjoying his fantasy. Michonne was a pain in the ass but she never lied about anything. He was too busy being a rock star at the prison to spend time with Carol. She hadn't trusted him enough to talk about Karen and David. That was on him. Carol needed a man and not a wounded child. "I am listening to you. Michonne. I love Carol and I trust you."

Michonne looked at this aging man-child who loved Carol. "Go to bed, Daryl. Tomorrow you get to play Moses again. I get to play Dr. Ruth, Dr. Phil, and a dose of Oprah. I can hardly wait."

**So what do you think? Give me a review and let me know what you think of this story. **


	4. Binding Ties

**Carol has found a friend in Morgan. Can you imagine how much she had come to trust and depend on him in just a few days? Carol has been thrown out of her home like a used up Christmas tree. She found a place to crawl into and hide from the world and all the time knowing that her haven could be breached by walker or raider at any moment. Morgan is balm to Carol's soul. They are growing closer as time goes by.**

Binding Ties

Morgan and Carol spent the next morning building snares and traps around the farmhouse. Morgan asked about her family and she told him that she had spent part of her childhood in the nearby mountains, but her grandparents and her father had passed away and she wasn't in touch with any other member of her family.

"Have you gone up there to check if any of your kin is still there?" Morgan wanted Carol somewhere safe surrounded by fighters that would protect her. She was strong and capable but loneliness and grief were a potent mixture that had cost him his sanity. He hoped that they would find his group and she would join them. He was beginning to think that this wouldn't be a bad place for them to settle. It wouldn't be as cold here as the mountains and there were plenty of empty farms around. Carol wouldn't talk about her former group and he figured that there was an unhappy story there but he would wait until she was ready to talk.

Carol shook her head. She wasn't going to go search for ghosts in the mountains. She had lost contact with everyone after her grandmother had died. She had not been home for over thirty years and they had never bothered to contact her.

Carol was glad that Morgan hadn't said anything about the kiss last night. That subject should die a natural death. She had washed and repaired Morgan's clothing and he looked more masculine and powerful in those clothes than the Mose overalls. Morgan was her friend and she wanted to keep this casual and platonic.

After lunch, Carol and Morgan went on a run together. They needed to get some materials for the traps and Morgan needed some more clothes. Carol drove and Morgan rode shotgun. The trip to the strip mall didn't have any problems and they found Morgan's truck. They scavenged together and Carol had to admit that it was much more productive to have Morgan around. They got the materials for the traps at a farm store and then went to a clothing store for Morgan. They were in and out quickly and were soon headed back to the farm with both trucks.

Morgan worked on the traps when they got back and Carol prepared dinner. They ate on the porch. Carol found herself sliding back into thinking about Morgan as a man and as a friend. She needed a friend. Today had been a good day, but she wanted to talk to her friend about what she had done and what it had cost her. Carol started talking and Morgan started listening closely. He moved closer to her and held her hand as the told about her life at the prison and how much she loved her family there. She talked about Daryl and Morgan could tell that she loved that man but they were not lovers. She talked about how the flu had killed one of the boys in a cellblock overnight and the havoc of walkers loose inside their perimeter. Carol grasped his hand a little tighter and told about finding Karen and David suffering and near death. She had put them out of their misery and burned the bodies. She had been found out and banished while Daryl was away. She had hoped that he would come looking for her but he never had. Carol couldn't join another group or go look for her family. She had put herself in solitary confinement for the rest of her life.

Morgan had listened to the story. He was a good listener and he had been told lots of stories by members of his group. Nothing that Carol had to say was shocking and surprising. It didn't seem like the woman who had dragged his almost dead ass into a truck and patched him up. She had been trying to protect her family, but had risked her own safety to save his life.

Carol expected Morgan to be shocked at what she was saying. He just held her hand and put his arm around her while she cried into his shirt. She cried for quite a while and he just held her. Finally, he got up and made her a drink from the old man's stash in the kitchen. It tasted terrible but she drank it anyway. It burned going down but it began to calm her in a little while.

She told him about Lizzie and Mika and how she had not been able to take them with her. She had rebuked Lizzie for calling her "mom". She didn't want them to get close to her; she didn't want to get close to anybody. It hurt too much when you lost them. Carol had finally recognized a bitter truth. She lost them anyway. It hurt anyway and not knowing if they were alive or not was just as painful as knowing they were.

Carol finally ran out of conversation and tears. Morgan had let her talk without giving her platitudes and advice. He didn't have a clue how to make this right for her. The leader sounded like a prick and Daryl sounded like he was a follower of the prick. He held Carol close and smelled her shampoo. What kind of man would stay safe inside of prison walls while Carol was wandering around alone in this world? Daryl didn't deserve her love, but maybe the girls did. Carol was born to be a mother; those two girls sounded like they needed a mother.

Morgan saw that Carol was exhausted and needed rest. Together they went into the house and locked everything up. He was tired too. Carol went to the bathroom and brushed her teeth and washed her face. She was glad that she had told Morgan; he would leave in the morning before she got any more attached to him.

Carol went into her room and got ready for bed. Morgan knocked on her door and waited until she gave him permission before coming in. He sat down on the bed beside her and held her hand again. Carol thought that he had the kindest eyes of anyone she ever knew. He rubbed her hand and said that tomorrow they could talk about what she wanted to do. He would go with her if she wanted to go back and see about Mika and Lizzie. No one would hurt her because he would protect her. Carol leaned against him and went to sleep. Morgan put her in bed and pulled the covers up. He bent to kiss her forehead and she asked him to stay with her until she went to sleep.

Morgan slid down on top of the covers and put his arm around her. He smiled to himself; he had had a couple of fantasies about this scenario but nothing was ever how you planned it. Carol needed a friend and he was going to be there for her; he wasn't in love with her but there was this connection between them. He cared about her and he liked the feeling of caring about someone. He had fallen madly in love with Jenny when he met her and never fell out of loving her. He loved Carol differently; he wanted her and wanted to protect her. He was Friday to her Robinson Crusoe. Living in this house with her had made it easy to think of her as his wife and he had treated her that way. Carol had not put up her walls against him because she had already lost all the people that she had loved. She had trusted him not to hurt her and he wasn't going to betray that trust.

Carol woke up later to find that Morgan had fallen asleep next to her. He was still lying on top of the covers and he hadn't taken advantage of the situation. She moved closer to him; she smiled. Ed would be doing acrobatics in his grave to think that she had outlived him and was lying next to a black man in a bed. She wanted this man more right now than she ever had Ed. He would be gentle and tender and he wanted her. There was no reason why they both couldn't have what they wanted.

Morgan woke up with a start and Carol wondered what he would do. He slid off the bed and went into the living room. He was being a perfect gentleman. Damn, she thought, I finally work up the nerve to do something totally out of my comfort zone and moral outlook and my plan is foiled by an honorable man.

Carol thought about Daryl. He cared about her, but he was never going to express it in the way that she needed. He was never going to be more than a good friend. She couldn't blame him; he just didn't want her.

She got off the bed and went into the living room. Morgan had lit the lamp and was reading in bed. He had stripped down to his boxers and was lying on top of the sheets. Carol stood there and Morgan stood up and went to her. She was trembling and he held her close. He kissed her and led her back to the couch.

She sat down on the couch and he sat down beside her. He kissed her again still gently and she found herself falling back on the couch. She looked at the lamp beseechingly but Morgan shook his head, "You are too beautiful to me to turn the light off. I want to see all of you."

Carol looked at him and thought that maybe it was good the leave the lamp on. She didn't want any old nightmare about Ed here tonight. That was the stuff of darkness and there was no place for that tonight. This was about being with a man with kind eyes and gentle hands. This was about her choosing to put the past behind and choosing to trust Morgan enough to let down the last of her walls.

"Let's go to bed" she said and Morgan smiled and picked up the lamp. He led her back to her bed and slid under the covers with her.

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Daryl was in a bad mood tonight. He had spent this day fighting walkers and he was tired and upset. Michonne had taken first watch and he had the second. Everyone else was asleep and he had never felt so alone.

**Okay, I know that you may hate that I put Morgan and Carol together that night. I wrote that last night and got up this morning ready to delete it all. I reread it and decided to keep it. Carol and Morgan are more Robinson Crusoe and Friday than they are Romeo and Juliet. Carol chooses to be with him; you can imagine their time together anyway you wish. The details are your own but I hope that you let it be fitting with their caring relationship. **


	5. Rainy Days Aren't All Bad

**The house is haunted by the two people who lived and loved in that house for a lifetime. Maybe some sort of energy remains in a place after the person is gone. Please give a review**.

Rainy Days Aren't All Bad

The other side of the bed was empty when Carol woke up the next morning. She thought about being with Morgan and knew that she would never be sorry that she had sex with him. Morgan had been the same man in bed that he was out of it, funny, gentle, tender, confident, and thorough.

Carol got dressed and went to the bathroom. Morgan had left a pail of hot water and cold water for her. She finished getting ready and went to look for Morgan. He was standing on the porch watching the rain splashing down. He turned and smiled at her and joined him on the porch. He put his arm around her and she leaned into him a bit.

"We're not going anywhere this morning; there may be flooding with all this rain, " he said and they went back inside. Carol fixed breakfast while Morgan straightened up the living room. They ate at the dining room table and watched the rain.

Morgan was chatting on about Harry and Sally which was his name for the old couple whose home had become their home. For some reason, Morgan was fascinated by their story and had went upstairs to find out more about them. They had lived here for sixty years according to Morgan and their deed upstairs. They must have married young and there wasn't any evidence of them having a child. Carol didn't like talking about them with Morgan. It seemed disrespectful somehow. She decided to change the subject.

Morgan was wearing black cargo pants and beige tee shirt that emphasized his body. "Mose has some nice new clothes, but I miss the overalls," she teased.

"Thank you, Miz Spalding." Morgan leaned on his hand and looked at Carol. She was trying to be blasé about last night and failing a bit. He didn't mind. It had taken a lot of courage to be with someone after the hell she had gone through in her marriage.

"I think after last night that Miz Spalding sounds a little formal. I think when it's just the two of us that you can call me Miz Edna." Carol pretended to be serious but there was a twinkle in those blue blue eyes.

Morgan laughed until the tears came. "All right Miz Edna. Is there anything old Mose can do for you this morning. It is too wet to plow the north forty."

Carol looked at him sternly, "Mose, what are you suggesting?"

Morgan smiled, "Rainy days are only good for two things, sleeping and sex. Are you sleepy, Miss Edna?"

Carol looked a little at sea, but as always with Morgan she was given a choice, "I am not a bit sleepy, Mose. "

Morgan looked at the couch. "Sex, it is Miss Edna". He picked Carol up and carried her to the couch and set her down gently. Carol slipped his tee shirt over his head and he began easing her clothes off.

Afterward, they cuddled on the couch and listened to the rain. It was still coming down in buckets. It felt safe in here and she wondered the old couple that Morgan called Harry and Sally even though that wasn't their names. Had they idled away rainy days making love on their couch? She hoped they weren't mad that two stranger had taken over their bed and their couch.

Carol thought about her grandparents. James and Nancy McAllister had been happy together. Grandpa taught English at the local high school and Nancy ran the farm and the house. It worked for them. Why had she come all this way and never gone up into the mountains?

Morgan was enjoying the sound of rain. Carol was deep in thought probably thinking about those she had left behind at the prison. He would take her back there if she wanted and she probably still did. Whoever was running the place had to be an idiot to throw Carol out. He hoped that they would let her see her adopted children. Daryl might try to talk her into staying. He sighed. If she wanted to stay, then he would tell her goodbye and wish her well. He would however leave her with some damn good memories of them together in bed. She was warm and passionate and Daryl might figure that out eventually when they were ninety two and too feeble to do anything about it.

Morgan kissed her neck, "Miss Edna, I think it's time to plow again".

Carol drifted back to lying naked on a couch with Morgan, "It's so hard to get good help these days. I will just lie here and think of England". Morgan fell off the couch laughing.

He pulled Carol down on the carpet with him and they made some memories that rainy day.

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It was a long dark night and it was still raining.

Daryl had been frustrated the whole day. It was raining too hard to travel and they just sort of hung in place the whole day. Michonne came over that evening to talk to him. "What's wrong, Daryl?"

"I am just in a pissy mood. Michonne. We didn't get anywhere today. It's still raining and there may be floods. We are on high ground here and we better just stay put for another day."

"What's wrong, Daryl?" Michonne knew that Daryl had been on edge for the few days. It was time to give him a pep talk. She wouldn't kick him when he was down or at least not too hard.

Daryl wanted to tell Michonne to go to hell, but she was his best friend with Carol gone and he was tired of thinking too much. "I haven't felt a connection to Carol for the last few days. I know it sounds like the Xfiles but I just knew that she had gone to North Carolina to find her family. It feels like the connection is broken."

Michonne thought to herself that prison put the crazy in all these people. Rick saw ghost Lori and now Daryl is chasing ghost Carol. "You know where to go and it is as good a place as any to go to. You'll pick up the connection in a day or two. Concentrate on getting this group to a safe place and you'll turn around and Carol will be right there. Then, you can concentrate on not screwing it up this time and start treating her like she deserves to be treated".

Daryl nodded, "I need to watch some chick flics. You know, get some pointers."

Michonne groaned, "No, you don't you idiot. Now let's try again. Be yourself plus Merle. The combination of your sweet self and Merle's sex appeal should do just fine. You could just be yourself but that would mean that you would yell "stop" and run for the hills. That isn't going to cut it".

Daryl said, "I don't know how to be half me and half Merle. That would be a lie any way. Carol should love me for who I am not because I am pretending to be somebody I'm not."

Michonne shook her head, "Your only shot is to dazzle Carol with some Merle moves. She thinks that her Daryl never bothered to look for her. She thinks that you threw her away. You are going to have to do more than standing around posing for your fans, buddy boy. How much does Carol mean to you?"

Daryl thought for a moment, "I always watched her even back at the quarry. Me and Merle were keeping an eye out on Ed. We figured if we could get him out of camp, then we were going to ring the dinner bell and let the walkers have him. Merle called her the Mouse and told me that I was the cat because I watched her all the damn time".

Michonne could well believe that Merle would notice Daryl watching Carol. Nothing got by Merle. "Why didn't you move in on her when Ed joined the dead?"

Daryl thought about it, "Merle got left behind in Atlanta. I was all tore up about that. Then we went to the CDC and that went to hell. Sophia got lost in the woods after that and Carol was lost without her. We got to be friends at the farm but she was grieving Sophia. Then there was months on the road and moving into the prison. That was a shitstorm of death and sorrow. Then these last few months Carol was friendly but never too friendly. She had drew up within herself. She was always busy taking care of people but she didn't want anyone taking care of her. I never tried really."

Michonne's voice was gentle, "When did you know that you were going to go find her?"

Daryl thought about it; the Governor had attacked while he and Rick were talking to Tyreese. Daryl had barely understood that Carol was gone and then a shell hit the prison. The nightmare of Hershel being beheaded and the battle had happened. He and Beth had escaped together and they had reunited with Tyreese and the children.

"It was when Lizzie and Mika asked me if I had found Carol; and I realized that me and Beth had been looking for Carol since we left the prison. I knew they needed Carol and she needed them. She needed to love somebody and be loved in return. Then, all at once I knew that my way of loving her made me feel safe from being hurt, but it wasn't any way a man should love a woman. I knew that she was becoming more distant with me and I never pushed her on it. Never let her know that I needed her to be more than a friend. Some of what happened is on me. She broke from the strain of trying to fix everything all by herself."

Michonne listened to Daryl. "Maybe you could tell her what you told me, but do you really want an adult physical relationship with Carol? She's a woman and not a saint."

Daryl nodded, "I know that. I have no moves, no game, no slick talk, but I love Carol. I miss her so much that I hurt inside."

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Carol couldn't get to sleep that night. She left Morgan in her bed and went out in to the living room and listened to the rain. It seemed to be lessening. She couldn't stop thinking about Daryl tonight. Tomorrow if it stopped raining they would head for the prison. She needed to know that everyone was safe. She wasn't so angry anymore and wondered if there was a chance to see Lizzie and Mika. She wanted to see Daryl; she was still hurt that he hadn't cared enough to look for her.

She knew that the idyll with Morgan was over. She didn't regret it but she wasn't in love with Morgan. This house had comforted her with the thought of Harry and Sally's long happy life together. It had been a refuge from the death and sorrow at the prison. She would never live there again. This place might be haunted by Harry and Sally. The prison was haunted by the violence and destruction of all those who had suffered and died there. Carol slept on the couch that night and Morgan knew when he found her there the next morning that Carol was ready to move on.

**So what do you think about Carol and Morgan? **


	6. Unfinished Business

**It is time for Carol to leave this little nest she has built for herself. She had taken the time to let herself heal and she has taken comfort from Morgan. Rick had told her that "Nobody will want you" and that cut went deeper because it opened old wounds that had never truly healed. She is not going back for anyone one person, but for all those that she loved. She has unfinished business at the prison.**

**Unfinished Business**

Morgan sat down and looked at a sleeping Carol. She had not let go of her past. She was being pulled back to a place that had shut their doors to her. She had unfinished business with those people and there was no moving forward until the past was dealt with. He would go with her on this odyssey back to this prison and maybe there would be some sort of closure for Carol. He would go with her as a friend; Carol would always be dear to him but they were never going to be together again.

Morgan walked to the windows and contemplated the rising sun striving to push the clouds away and rise to a completely soaked world. It was time to get loaded up and get on the road. This house had its magic. You wanted to sink into quietness and peace and just be content to be with the other. His world had shrunk to include only Carol and himself. He suspected that Carol had felt that way too, but the magic could not hold against the power of her love for the people she left behind. They had called to Carol and she would go to them.

Carol woke up to see Morgan silhouetted against the rising sun. She had a moment of temptation that whispered for her to call him to her and stay here a little longer. Instead, she slid off the couch and went to the bathroom to get ready for a trip. She stripped off the sheets on the bed and in a fit of whimsy she remade the bed with fresh sheets.

Morgan packed the things that they would need. They would take his truck because he knew he had taken good care of it. Carol came out of the bedroom with a duffle bag. She also packed all the medical supplies that she had scavenged when she came here. They went through the stuff that he had packed and she went back into the house and got a few more things including the old man's whiskey. "Never know", she said and Morgan smiled at her.

Carol found the map that had been in the shitty car that Rick had assigned to her. She went back into the house and kissed the photographs of Harry and Sally and told them goodbye. She had found comfort and refuge in this house and she thanked them for letting her stay. Morgan was holding the truck door open and she slid into the passenger seat. Morgan had moved the truck beyond his protective ring of snares and traps and he went back and carefully put the barbed wire gate back in place.

He started the truck and headed down the hill slowly. The road was a mess after all the rain and he concentrated on his driving. Morgan waited until they got back to a main road before he turned to Carol. "Friend, are you ready for a road trip?"

Carol smiled back, "Friend, I am ready to go". Carol was glad that Morgan had fallen back into friend mode.

They talked as he drove back to the highway and headed east. Morgan had planned to detour around the area that he had been ambushed, but it began to grate on him that innocent people would be taking that highway up to the mountains and would be ambushed, robbed, and maybe killed by these thugs. He talked to Carol and she agreed. He should check out the area and see if they were still there. He parked the truck several miles from where he had been attacked. Carol got out to go with him and he didn't like it but no place was safe. She grabbed her weapons and followed him down a road that ran parallel to the highway. They didn't talk and they made good time while they were on the paved road but as they got closer they moved slower and kept to the side of the road with the most cover.

Michonne was glad to see that Daryl was in a better mood this morning. The sun struggled out and they were able to get started. She looked their little caravan over. She and Daryl were in the first truck and Lizzie and Mika rode with them. Daryl had assumed the role of their guardian and the girls seemed to handle his gruffness with ease. She drove and Daryl navigated and he was happy to report that they were just miles from the main highway that ran from the ocean all the way through the mountains.

Bob and Sasha were in the second truck. Glenn, Maggie, Beth, and Judith rode in the third vehicle. Tyreese, Carl, and Rick rode in the suv. Rick was better but not able to drive long distances.

The trucks were filled with food and supplies that they had scavenged along the way. Daryl was hoping that the mountains would be safer and that they would get there and find a farm that was empty and that could settle in before winter. Michonne thought that plan was as good any. The Governor was gone and she was ready to move on to someplace else.

…..

Morgan was trying to slow Carol down but she seemed hell bent in getting there as fast as possible. Carol couldn't explain it but she was feeling this overwhelming need to get there before something happened. They were going at a near run and she felt as if they were crawling along. Morgan grabbed her arm and hissed, "We are really close and we have to be careful now. Don't be running into something we can't finish. Stay behind me and I mean it." He had been in combat enough to have that spidery sense that your enemy was near.

Carol shook her head and panted, "Something bad is going to happen if we don't get there."

"Stay behind me, and no talking." He went to the side of the road and parted the brush to get a better look at the highway. Right now it was clear and he thought again about where the ambush would be coming from. He had been shot from someone on the side of the road but he had heard rifle fire from a hillside. He scanned the road and the hills around them. The best place to attack was maybe a quarter of a mile away. It wasn't far off the highway and it had a good view of both lanes.

"We are going to have to go through the brush. No talking and we may see walkers, you watch the right side and behind us and I'll take the left and what's in front". Morgan would have to depend on Carol to do her share here, but he figured that she had make it here from Georgia by herself and they only had a quarter of a mile and a bunch of raiders to kill. Piece of cake.

Morgan let the way. The brush was slippery from the rain and they had to move very quietly. Carol had her best knife ready and Morgan had a machete type sword. The trip was agonizingly slow but they began to hear the voices of the raiders ahead. They were calling to others waiting on up the road. Morgan figured that their best bet was to take out the nest here and then get out of there and find a spot easier to defend.

Carol's heart was racing but she used all her mental energies to concentrate on the job at hand. The first order of business was to get these shooters and then deal with the rest. They crept closer and Morgan turned and held his hand up to indicate that she should stop. He motioned that he was going on to look and she should stay. He went on and Carol followed but much slower. She could see the two men who had their rifle set up on a fallen tree now but she had lost Morgan. She moved closer and saw that he was maneuvering around to the other side. Carol suspected that he would make some noise to make one of the guys leave to go check it out. He would try to pick him off and then go after the other.

Morgan heard the sound of vehicles approaching. The two men readied themselves with their rifle distracted by their blood lust. He saw Carol coming in from the other side and she nodded to him. One man began firing and she launched herself with her knife out toward the man closer to her. Morgan came in behind the other man and used his machete to slash his throat. Carol had used her smaller knife to cut the jugular and then pushed the knife into his brain stem. She looked at Morgan and he hastily stuck the sword through the eye and into the brain. They each grabbed a rifle and looked at the highway. There was a caravan of trucks and a suv under attack. Carol used one of the rifles to shoot at the thugs that were approaching the caravan. She got one with her second shot and she could see that the thugs were looking their way. Morgan began peppering the area with shots. He figured that would slow the raiders down and the people in the van would have a chance to defend themselves.

Carol got another one who was gawking up at the nest and she kept up the fire. She had to take a second to reload and by that time the caravan was defending itself. Morgan yelled, "Let's get down there and see what we can do". There was a good path along the side of the hill that the raiders must have been using. Morgan went first and had the rifle at the ready. He figured that the raiders would start running now that the battle was going against them. He wasn't surprised to hear people crashing toward them. He got the first one and Carol took out the second. She pushed her knife into their brain stems quickly while Morgan covered the path. The firing had stopped and Morgan and Carol moved even more cautiously. Morgan saw a rough looking white man with a crossbow and dark skinned woman wielding a katana moving their way up the path. He didn't think they were raiders, but as he stood there Carol moved silently beside him. Her voice was calm and clear, "Daryl, it's me" and she moved from the shadows into the light.

Daryl had jerked his crossbow up and readied his bolt when he saw the shadows that he knew to be people or walkers, "Daryl, it's me" stopped his motion cold. He looked up the path and saw Carol standing there with a dark skinned man at her side. He was rooted there for a second as his mind tried to process what was going on.

Carol moved closer and saw that Michonne stood right behind Daryl. Daryl was still staring at her but he had dropped the crossbow down to the ground and then he was running toward her. He grabbed her and held on so tight that she couldn't breathe but she didn't care. Morgan had recognized Michonne as the woman who had come to his apartment with Rick and his boy. He put his weapons down and she lowered her katana. Damn, Michonne thought, Carol is here with the King of Crazies and Daryl is going to freak out about that. Life is never dull in the ZA. She reflected.

Michonne tapped on Daryl head with the flat side of her katana. "Up hand that woman, she can't breathe". Daryl released Carol from his iron grip but continued to stare at her. Morgan watched him and thought, this redneck is Daryl? Carol loves this guy?.

Michonne said, "We were following a couple of men up this path".

Morgan answered, "Carol and I took them out".

Michonne muttered, "Better get back" and she turned and the others followed. Morgan went last and had a good view of her ass. He hadn't noticed how beautiful she was when she was with Rick at his apartment. He was glad that he had recovered enough of his senses to appreciate a good ass when he saw one.

The caravan was a mess. The tires were shredded on two vehicles and there were several wounds but only Bob and Sasha were serious. Carol jumped into medico mode and began to triage the wounds. Daryl began moving his people into different vehicles and Morgan and Michonne moved the supplies. Everybody moved fast because walkers had begun moving toward the sound of gunfire. Carol was working on Sasha and Tyreese was holding was trying to stop the Bob's bleeding.

The caravan started to move west away from the ambush site. They stopped at Morgan's vehicle and Carol grabbed some medical supplies from her stash. She looked at Morgan and said, "Do you think we should take them back to the house?" He nodded. Daryl was listening and he knew that Carol and Morgan had been living together in that house.

Morgan took Michonne, Lizzie and Mika in his truck. More supplies were transferred to his truck and Glenn and Maggie rode in the back. Carol was riding with Sasha and Bob with Tyreese. Morgan raced back up the highway and only slowed down when they left the four lane road. The winding two lane road required slower speeds and the rocky road at the end was slow going. Michonne saw the farm and knew why they were here. There were fenced pasture field and the old farmhouse was still charming. She smiled at the traps and snares. "Love what did with the place, " she commented and he had laughed, "It's the little things that make a place a home."

He got out and opened the barbed wire gate and left it open. Michonne saw that here was a large barn and a steel building and the white farmhouse had wide porches with rockers. The other vehicles were following right behind them and he waited until they were through and then closed the gate.

Carol led the way in the house. She moved Sasha onto the bottom floor bedroom. Morgan helped Tyreese put Bob onto the couch. She was totally into medico mode now. Beth helped her with Sasha. The wound was on her thigh and she needed it cleaned out. Beth and Carol worked to rinse the wound out as best they could. They started a round of antibiotics and hoped for the best. Sasha was tough and she had not gone into shock.

Bob's wound was messy and he had just recovered from another wound but he was much easier to clean up than Sasha. Morgan and Maggie had cleaned up the others and they were good to go. Maggie had found the stove and she made macaroni and cheese. It was the ultimate comfort food and by that time everyone was starved.

Daryl had gone for a walk around the property with Michonne. It seemed reasonably safe. The fence around the farmhouse would slow down walkers. They looked in the steel building and wondered at the bed and the chains. The barn was huge and the loft would be a great place to put some of their people. Michonne had kept quiet because Daryl seemed lost in thought but finally she broke, "Daryl, the first thing you did when you saw her was grab her and hold on. I think your first instinct is the way for you to go. Don't be a dick about Morgan. Just be easy like Sunday morning."

Daryl flushed, "They were living in that house together."

Michonne pushed, "She didn't know what happened to us; she thought that you didn't want her. Get over yourself; she's here and she's alive and she still loves you. That should be enough."

Morgan and Rick came looking for them. Michonne asked about the bed in the steel building. Morgan had laughed and told them the story that Carol had rescued him and held him captive in the building until she trusted him. Daryl thought to himself, that sounds like her, cautious but caring. He wanted to hate Morgan but he could see how lonely Carol would have been here all alone.

Carol was sitting on the back porch swing with Lizzie and Mika. She couldn't stop hugging them and telling them how much she missed them. They told her about the fall of the prison, Hershel and so many others being killed, and how many had been lost before Daryl had loaded up the survivors and started this way weeks ago. Lizzie said, "Daryl told us that you would be here and we were going to look for you."

Carol remembered looking down that path and seeing Daryl. "I was starting to look for you guys".

"Are we going to stay here?" Mika asked. "Daryl has been taking care of us for you."

"I don't care where I stay as long as we are together," Carol answered blinking back a few tears at the thought of Daryl stepping taking care of these quirky kids for her.

They ate on the front porch and they had mixed up a several jars of fruit punch. They feasted on mac and cheese and fruit punch. Daryl ate sitting close to Carol as she told him that she had just turned up this road because it was so deserted. She had been here alone all these weeks and had found Morgan just a few days ago. He caught her up on what had happened at the prison. "I didn't find out about Rick throwing you out until later. We didn't get back until very late and the next day the Governor shot the place up with a tank. He beheaded Hershel in front of all of us. The fences were breached and we ran for our lives. Beth and I looked for you but I never found anything".

"Why did you come this way?" Carol asked. Her mind was still processing the idea that Daryl didn't know she was banished until after she left. He did the best he could at the time and he had come after here looking for something.

"You said one time that you had kin up here and had been happier here than anytime in your life. I thought maybe that you might come this way and it sounded safer than where we were. We had ran into a herd with thousands of walkers in it. It was time to go someplace else". Daryl was trying to do more than grunt at Carol. Michonne had told him to talk his ass off about things that showed that he cared her.

Rick and Carl sat off to the side. Rick was still recovering from being wounded at the prison and he was in no position to make any statements. The Carol that he saw talking to Daryl was not the cold distant woman from their run. He was just going to shut the hell up and let it go. Carl, Lizzie, and Mika wandered off to the yard.

Carol smiled at Daryl, "I need to check on Sasha". Bob was eating with Tyreese in the living room when she went in to check on Sasha and let Beth go eat. She checked on Sasha and hoped for the best. There were three bedrooms upstairs and a bathroom that could function if you brought a pail of water with you. The barn would be all right to sleep in and the steel building would be safe.

Michonne and Morgan were walking around the perimeter. The man was dogging her. Everywhere she was he showed up. He was talking sensibly and she figured that he was staying out of Daryl's way. "Where were you and Carol going with all your stuff loaded?"

Morgan had found himself fascinated by this woman who had a startingly beautiful smile. "We were headed to the prison. Carol wanted to go back and check on everyone. I was going with her cause she told me she had this hot friend named Michonne". He was rewarded by that smile.

Michonne knew this man was making a move on her but he wasn't a player for sure. "How come you aren't still crazy?"

"Way to work that in the conversation. Rick's coming back and talking with me stirred something up in my already mixed up brain. Everything started to settle after that. I realized that I was crazy because I had been alone too long. I packed up and started this way. I joined a group and we traveled around looking for a place. They were good people and I made some friends. I got shot while I was out scouting and drove up this way trying to shake a truck following me. I pulled into a strip mall and got out of my trunk and passed out on the parking lot. Carol came along and dragged me into her truck and took me here and patched me up." Morgan was wishing that she would smile again, but there was nothing in that story that was very funny.

Michonne decided to give the man a break. He could be in the house hanging around Carol making Daryl crazy. Instead, he was hanging with her. "Caught anything in those traps?"

Morgan laughed, "Not yet, but there are deer around here. I have seen them in the fields."

Daryl was walking toward them with his crossbow and Michonne said, "Here comes the deerslayer now".

They exchanged a few words and Morgan left with Daryl. Michonne noticed that Morgan walked with a slight limp and started worrying that all of this activity probably aggravated his injury. She laughed then and thought, I'd better worry that Daryl is going to put a bolt through him and not a deer.

Carol was getting the house organized. Bob and Tyreese were in one room upstairs and Maggie and Glenn in the other. Beth and Judith would take the last bedroom. She and Michonne would take the living room couch which would fold out into a bed. Lizzie and Mika could sleep on the couch or the floor. Rick, Carl, Morgan, and Daryl could sleep in the dining room or the barn.

Carol was holding Judith when Rick came through the door. The little girl had crawled to her when Beth put her down. She couldn't resist hugging her. Rick just nodded and sat down. Carol thought that he looked old and worn. There was a bed in the steel building and they could set it up in the dining room and Carl could stay with him.

Daryl and Morgan returned with a small pig. The farmers had turned their animals loose when this all happened. Morgan was limping noticeably Michonne noticed and she figured that she had better check it out. Daryl might have a stroke if Carol did.

Michonne sidled up to Morgan, "Let me check your leg."

Morgan's leg was hurting and he had seen how efficient Daryl was with the crossbow and it seemed to be a bad idea to ask Carol to look at it. "I know just the place for you to check it". He led her to the steel building and he sat down on the bed. "Girl, this seems like a little soon but if you want to play nurse." He pulled his pants down.

Michonne laughed at him and pulled back the bandage. The stitches were still holding and the area looked all right. She put the bandage back on and said, "Pull your pants up before somebody comes and gets this bed".

Daryl and Tyreese made a barbecue pit and that evening they dined on roasted pork and canned vegetables. Carol had made some sun tea and they drank it still warm from the sun. Rick and Carl slept in the dining room. Carol slept on the floor with Lizzie and Mika. Morgan got the couch because of his leg. Michonne and Daryl alternated with watches. Michonne had nestled down beside of Carol and when they traded watches Daryl came back in and took her place. He moved closer and put his arm around Carol who woke up with a start and realized that it was Daryl. She hugged his arm close to her body and he fell asleep with spooned against the woman that he loved and close a houseful of people sleeping just feet away. Morgan had woken up when Michonne left and decided to keep her company on watch. They sat on rockers on the porch and watched the moon inch across a starry sky. Michonne found that she was glad to have Morgan with her; it was lonely out her in the night watching and waiting for what you prayed wouldn't come. She didn't know where this was headed but she was willing to let it happen; she like the old Commodore song knew that sometimes you just had to be easy like Sunday morning.

**Carol is asleep in Daryl's arms and Morgan and Michonne are hanging out on the porch. I need a review , my peeps.**


	7. Need to Know

**Need to know is all about information. Do you really need to know some bit of information to do your job? If you don't need it for your job you don't need to know it. Daryl may have questions about Carol and Morgan but does he really need to know?**

Need to Know

Carol had slept soundly between Daryl and Mika but woke up early and felt a familiar wetness between her legs. She slipped out from under Daryl's protective arm and went to the bathroom. She looked through a bathroom drawer and found a tampon. Martha Monthly had come to visit and this time she brought good news. Her short affair with Morgan had not left any lasting consequences. Carol would like to crawl back between Daryl and Mika but she should check on Sasha and there would be something after that. Carol did go check on Sasha and found her sleeping soundly. Then, Carol slipped back in between Daryl and Mika and went back to sleep.

Michonne and Morgan had given up their watch to Tyreese and they decided that the house was too crowded to get any real rest. They had opted to sleep in the barn loft. Morgan had two sleeping bags in his truck that he had packed for the trip to the prison and he took them to the barn loft. Michonne was standing looking out at the farm in the moonlight. Morgan tossed her a sleeping bag and she kicked off her boots and lay down where she could watch over the farm. Morgan sat on his sleeping bag and watched her, "You can relax now, Michonne."

Michonne turned to him, "This place is peaceful. I needed some time away from all those people. I have been on the road so long that I don't know that I will ever be able to relax." Her tone was pensive and Morgan wondered if the fall of the prison and the death of the Governor had left her adrift. He had been the one to suggest sleeping in the loft; he knew the house was too crowded to really rest.

Morgan kicked his boots and pants. He had put his sleeping bag close to Michonne's and piled his weapons close to his arms. Michonne had put her katana within her arm's reach. "Now if I roll over toward you just give me a friendly shove back and let's leave the katana out of it."

Michonne laughed, "Better not roll over, two years into the ZA and I have hair trigger responses".

Morgan said, "You can cuddle up if you want to. It's gets cool here at night. "He turned over and later she knew that he was asleep. He didn't snore and Michonne thought that was a good omen. The sleeping bag was warm but for some reason Michonne inched closer to Morgan before she went to sleep.

Morgan was still asleep when she woke up the next morning. She watched him in the early light and knew why Carol had been with him. Carol had been married to an abusive man and that relationship had made her insecure about trusting another man. Daryl's hands off love had overtime had eroded her confidence in her own attractiveness. Morgan was gentle and he showed his appreciation in such a way that you felt desired and valued.

Carol was glad to see Sasha looked better this morning, but she knew that she shouldn't be moved for several days. She needed to be taken care of and Bob showed up to check on her. Carol thought that there seemed to be something going on with them.

Daryl had gotten the girls up and their stuff organized. Carol found herself smiling at his bossing them around. It was very father like and sweet. The girls seemed to be used to it and called him "Papa Bear".

Last night when Daryl lay down beside her and put his arm around her she had melted inside. She had been tense from the events of the day. Michonne's presence close to her had been comforting. Daryl choosing her lie close to her and put his arm around had kindled a deep burning need to be with him. She thought about the strange turn of events that had taken her from a celibate lifestyle to a casual hookup with Morgan to the intense reaction that she had from just being close to Daryl.

She had lain awake for a while after Daryl fell asleep and wondered what she would say if Daryl asked about Morgan. She wanted to be honest with him but did he really want to know that she and Morgan had been lovers however briefly? Did she want to know that he and Michonne might have been together all those times that they hunted the governor together? Daryl had grabbed her and held her close when they met on that muddy path. She wanted to put the past behind them and just hang on to how it had felt when he held her close as if he would never let her go. Daryl might turn away from her if she told him the truth; she had sex with Morgan because she had wanted to have the comfort and pleasure that being with him offered. She just didn't think that Daryl was going to handle that all that well.

She thought back to the first time with Morgan. He had been tender and gentle and the lamp had been kept on the whole time. She had been very aware that she was with Morgan. The next morning it had been the same. The sex was casual and she had been relaxed enough to enjoy it.

It was the second night and they had been together as the dusk came on and she had fallen asleep. The dark had come on and when Morgan kissed her she kissed him back and suddenly it wasn't casual at all. It was intense and she sort of lost herself in it. She heard her voice saying his name over and over and it wasn't until it was it was over that she realized that the name she had called was Daryl's. She didn't say anything to Morgan and she had crawled out of the bed and slept on the couch. She admitted to herself that she wanted it to be Daryl all along and when she lost herself in her need she had called Daryl's name because she had was with him in her mind. Morgan had accepted it gracefully and he understood. He had loved his wife with all his heart. That kind of love didn't ever really die; you carried it with you for your whole life. You might make room for someone else after a while if the other is really gone, but you couldn't do that as long as the other was alive. Daryl was alive and it would either be him or nobody else.

The next few days were busy as the group adapted to life on the farm. Daryl had hunted every day. Carol spent time with the girls and everyone seemed to relax a little bit more each day. Daryl had first watch and always came back to slide in beside of her on the turned out sofa bed that she shared with Lizzie and Mika. They had not had much time to talk but the happiest part of her day was when Daryl came back in from watch and lay down beside her and put his arm around her.

Daryl had spent his days hunting and dealing with his feelings. He knew good and well that Morgan and Carol had had sex in that house. He had known from the instant Carol has asked Morgan if they should take everyone "to the house". Daryl also knew that Carol loved him; he would never forget her face when he had said to him, "Daryl, it's me". His first reaction had been to gather her in his arms and never let go.

He actually liked Morgan; he could understand how Carol had been drawn to him. He was the opposite of that pig that she had been shackled to for so long. He noticed that he spent more time hunting as the days went by and less time being hurt and angry. Carol nestled in his arms each night and that was all the real contact that they had but it was enough for now. He never pushed for more; he could feel her love for him every time she hugged his arm close to her. He wanted to be with her someplace private and special. She deserved special.

On the fifth day Morgan went hunting with him again. They talked about the day of the ambush as they crossed the open fields. Morgan told him that Carol had run his ass off getting to the place. She had known something was going to happen and she had to get there before it went all wrong. Morgan described how he had told Carol to stay back but she had followed him close to the nest anyway. He had gotten one sniper and Carol took out the other. They had fired on the raiders and took out a few. The path down the hill to the road had been slippery but they were able to get two more on the way down. Carol was a warrior. Daryl nodded.

The hunt went well and they had found a couple of skinny cows in a distant pasture. They had bagged enough rabbit for dinner and two cows. Surprisingly the cows just followed them home. Daryl and Morgan were in a good mood when they stopped to drink from their canteens and wipe the sweat off their faces. Morgan asked, "Are you and Carol going to go up into the mountains?"

Daryl had not talked with Carol about her relatives that used to live in those mountains. It pissed him off that she and Morgan might have planned to go there. Then he thought to himself they were headed toward the prison. She chose to go back for us.

Morgan saw Daryl's face darken a bit. He had not said anything to Daryl before now and there was only one thing to say now, "It was always you, Daryl. It was always you." Daryl looked at him and nodded. Carol loved him and that was enough for him.

That evening after they ate Daryl asked Carol to take a walk with him. They went out through the fields and the talk was casual but Carol was afraid that it was truth telling time. Daryl cleared his throat, "Carol, if you want to go see if you have any family left I'll go with you".

Carol walked on, for some reason she had left Georgia and the scarce chance that she could find her way back inside the prison and traveled all this way to stop before she got all the way home. Maybe she had been waiting for Daryl. She turned and smiled at him, "Let's go tomorrow early." Daryl nodded and they walked on, but Carol had reached for his hand and they walked the rest of the way back to the house holding on to each other.

**Did you really think I would write Carol having a casual affair and ignoring her feelings for Daryl? I will admit that she (and I) tried but in the end Morgan said it best, "It was always you, Daryl. It was always you."**

**One more chapter to go; this was never going to be one of the marathon stories. Like Carol and Morgan's affair it was destined to be short and I hope sweet.**

**Come on, write a review**


	8. All the Way Home

**This is it. The story does not deal with what did or not did not happen at the prison. Carol is not "rescued" by any one. She is not redeemed by some sacrificial act and she does not have to die to further any other character's development. She just does whatever she needs to keep the people she loves alive for as long as fate allows. **

All the Way Home

It seemed to Carol that Daryl held her even closer that night. Carol was fearful about the next day; she was didn't know if she was more scared that her extended family would reject her or just afraid that none existed in this world. It was dangerous to travel that far with just the two of them but she wouldn't risk anyone else in this last step of a journey that she had been on since she was ten. She had been dragged off the mountain by her mother on the day of her father's funeral. That was over thirty years ago and she was finally going home tomorrow.

Carol and Daryl were up early the next morning. Carol had asked Morgan and Michonne to look after Lizzie and Mika for her; they were the two that she trusted the most. Carol kissed and hugged the girls goodbye and Daryl slapped them lightly on the head and told them to behave themselves.

The girls hugged him anyway. Daryl drove and Carol grabbed the map as if she needed it to find McAllister Mountain and got in the passenger seat.

They filled the compact truck up at a town on the way. It looked to be about 75 miles to Adair the town closest to McAllister Mountain so a full tank was more than enough to get there and back. Carol was nervous about the trip. She just sort of walked around while Daryl was getting the gas and he recognized that she was anxious. He had accepted that his family was gone but Carol must have some hope that some of her blood kin was there.

They stopped once and shared a canteen of water. He hugged her close and whispered, "I love you."

Carol hugged him back, "I love you, Daryl and I always will."

They got back into the truck and the foothills had grown into mountains. The road was wide and clear of traffic and they made good time. There was a road block in front of them. It was on a long straight section of the road and there was no hint of danger. Daryl and Carol walked toward the road block and a voice called out, "Voyager, what is your business here."

Carol called out, "I am Carol McAllister and I am looking for any family that I might have here".

One of the men came out from behind the concrete barrier, "Carol Ann McAllister? I haven't seen you in over thirty years." He came toward her and Daryl saw big dark haired man come toward them.

Carol stared at the big man and tried to imagine the boy that he would have been. She narrowed her eyes when she got it. "Brian McKenzie". Her tone was not particularly friendly.

The big man laughed, "You haven't forgiven me in all this time, what a hard hearted woman you turned out to be. Jesse and I are good friends; he has forgiven me at least."

Daryl got the catch in Carol's voice as she said, "Jesse, my cousin Jesse Graham is still alive".

Brian shook Daryl's hand and in a what the hell move hugged Carol, "He is alive and living in his mother's place up on the mountain. Ashton, Emily, and Patrick all live up there and now the last prodigal McAllister has come home."

Carol remembered the manners her grandmother taught her and introduced Daryl to Brian McKenzie. Brian waved them around the barriers and they were back on the road.

Carol directed them to a road headed up a mountain and they soon reached a sign that read, "McAllister Mountain, North Carolina, Population...growing". Daryl laughed and said that was a good sign.

There were farms and houses on both sides of the narrow paved road. Most of the yards around the houses had high fences. There were children playing within the fences and there were people working in gardens around the houses. Carol and Daryl exchanged glances; they were seeing a place in which people were still living like people.

Daryl kept driving and the road turned became steeper and he paid attention to the curves in the road. They were still passing houses and small farms. Carol kept motioning him upward and she asked him to stop in front of a compound. The fences were secure and strong and within the ground were three log homes built around a circular driveway. Carol said,"This was where my Uncle John lived but that isn't the house."

Daryl drove the truck on up the road and stopped when Carol told him to stop. This compound had the same kind of fencing but there was a large log house and a barn. Daryl could see storage buildings toward the back of the lot. The driveway was graveled through the property and there was a locked gate at the entrance. Carol got out and stood at the gate but this was not the same house that she remembered. It was similar but seemed larger than she remembered.

They turned and saw two men walking toward them. They were hurrying toward them and Daryl went automatically into protect mode, but Carol was walking toward them. The oldest man said, "I would recognize you anywhere Carol you look exactly like Grandma Nancy. " The other man spoke, "My Carol, can it be you?" There was a group hug and Daryl wasn't really surprised that all three of them had tears in their eyes. He looked the men over. One was a silver haired man with Carol blue eyes and the other was a mixed race man with golden skin and blue eyes. Carol introduced the silver haired man as Ashton McAllister and the younger man as Jesse Graham. The men stood on either side of Carol and held her hand.

Ashton wiped the tears from his eyes. "There is a lot to catch up on. More than you can possibly imagine Carol. Let's go into this house and I'll explain it to you."

Caro said, "I want to go up to the cemetery before I go in the house". The two men nodded and when Daryl went with her they opened the gate and walked toward the house.

Carol started toward a side road that wound around the hill toward the top. Daryl walked with her and they were soon at a family graveyard. Carol went to a gravestone and Daryl read the inscription. Captain Michael McAllister. Carol's father's grave and Daryl was shocked to know that he had died at such a young age. Carol moved to a large gravestone with two names. James McAllister and Ann McAllister. Carol's grandparents. Carol gasped and Daryl was surprised by the utter fury in her expression. He had never seen Carol look that angry.

"She told me that Grandma was dead. That nobody up here wanted me. She told me that when I was ten and I still believed in what she said. Oh, God. How could she do anything that cruel? Carol's voice was torn between pain and anger and Daryl looked at the gravestone. Ann McAllister died five years ago not more than thirty. Carol had mourned her grandmother for over three decades and she had been alive for almost all that time.

Daryl hugged Carol to him. Gradually she calmed down, and Daryl walked with her back to the house. The gate was shut but not locked. They followed the gravel road to the house and crossed the wide porch than ran the front of the house and through the open doorway.

Ashton and Jesse were making swiping motions at the dust in the house. There was a large great room with leather couches and a dining area. Ashton sat Carol and explained that the house and the farm belonged to Carol. Grandma Nancy had left it to her in her will all the time insisting that Carol would be back someday and would need a big house because she would be bringing people with her. The house had been completely remodeled years ago to survive almost anything.

Ashton showed Daryl how to turn the water on from the spring and how to light the wood burning hot water heater. Carol and Jesse walked through the house. There was a master suite at the back with a bathroom and upstairs four bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

Carol thought the house was both beautiful and utilitarian. Both Jesse and Ashton were sure that she was going to live here but she needed to talk to Daryl. She didn't want to live anywhere unless Daryl was there. No house was worth not being with Daryl.

Ashton and Daryl came back and Ashton and Jesse left them there with keys. Daryl had told Ashton that he and Carol were going back and bring up their girls. Carol showed Daryl the basement with shelves loaded with food. Then she showed them the master bedroom with its king size bed. Daryl laughed, "That's no granny bed".

Carol went into the bathroom and found that the water was warm in the bathroom. She looked at the shower and thought of the bed. Daryl sat in the chair beside of the bed and thought this place was special. Carol had come back from the bathroom and stood there looking at him. "There is warm water in the bathroom." She looked through the linen closet in the hallway and found sheets and blankets. She came back to the bedroom with some sheets and a blanket and saw that Daryl was still sitting there.

He said, "You are mine".

Carol loved him but she couldn't stop the automatic shrinking back when he said that. Belonging to somebody had not worked well for her in the past.

Daryl continued, "Mine to love and to cherish. Mine to hunt for and protect. Mine to trust and to talk to in the middle of the night. Mine to go the distance with and mine to sit beside of on that porch and watch the sun go down with. Mine. Carol, please be mine."

Carol relaxed, "You are mine, Daryl" and she threw the blanket over the bed. Daryl stood up and smiled at her. She started taking her clothes off and Daryl kicked off his boots and his clothes.

Carol found that sex with Daryl was even better than imagining that she was having sex with Daryl. He found that he loved her more than he thought he had before. They found together all that they could want and wish for from the other. It was good from the get go and only got better.

Afterward, they took a hot shower in their bathroom and reluctantly got dressed. Daryl stood in the bedroom and said, "I know the rest of the house will be a like a hotel because we are never going to live in a house with just us. There are always going to be a bunch of people hanging around, but this room is just ours. Right?"

Carol agreed that their bedroom would be just for them.

They got back down to the farm in time to pack up the girls and all those who wanted to relocate to McAllister Mountain. Maggie, Glenn, and Beth were the first ones to decide the go. Rick, Carl, and Judith signed on too. Michonne was the last one to sign on.

Daryl took Rick aside and told him that if ever did anything to Carol again that he would kick his ass all the way from McAllister Mountain to this farm. Rick took it well.

Morgan had run into his old group that day and they were planning to move up in the mountains close to Adair. Morgan was going with them. Sasha, Tyreese, and Bob had decided to go with Morgan's group. Carol took Michonne aside and told her that Morgan was a really great guy but she had a cousin named Jesse Graham who was single and she wanted to fix her up with him.

Michonne liked Morgan but she wasn't in love with him. She was going with Carol and Daryl because she was attached to these people. She did not intend to be fixed up with Carol's cousin.

It was almost sunset when the caravan arrived on the hill. Daryl unlocked the gate and they drove their vehicles including the two cows that Daryl and Morgan how found. The house had been swept and dusted while they were gone. Someone had left a huge casserole of vegetable lasagna on the stove. The beds were made and everyone dragged their few possessions in.

Daryl sat on the front porch with Carol and watched the sun go down. They let the others settle themselves in while they sat in the rockers and talked to each other. Later Carol went in and checked on the girls who had a bedroom together upstairs. They talked for a long time about the house and the things that they would have to do make a good life there.

Daryl had walked the fence with Glenn and Rick. They checked the barn and the outbuildings. They locked the gate and the doors on the house and all of the windows. Glenn and Rick went upstairs and Daryl went into his bathroom and brushed his teeth. He looked at the bed and tried to figure which would be his side. He went with the side away from the bathroom in case Carol had to go in the night. He grabbed his few clothes and put them in the chest of drawers on his side and took out his collection of natural guide books and put them on his bedside table.

Carol walked into the bedroom and found Daryl in bed reading a book. He looked quite at home on their big bed and he smiled at her. She went into the bathroom and got ready for bed like she had done the same thing a thousand times. It was really good be home.`


End file.
